Blood and Black Lace (1964 Full Film)

Blood and Black Lace. Or as I like to call it. A really great freaking film! Others would call it Six Women for the Murderer. Blood and Black Lace is definitely a much cooler title though. Quite fitting for a legendary film such as this imported from Italy. It was directed by Mario Bava and co-written by Guiseppe Barilla and Marcello Fondato. This film stars Cameron Mitchell adn Eva Bartok as well.

This is a story about a series of the brutal murder of various sexy fashion and lingre models. All committed by a masked man in a trench coat in an attempt to obtain some type of diary. Sounds weak I know but keep with me!

Mario Bava’s other horror classics were Black Sunday (1960) and Black Sabbath (1963) were world wide critical successes. So it’s no surprise that when Bava wanted creative control over Blood and Black Lace the studios gladly handed it to him. Though they didn’t get what they were expecting.

The studios in Europe at that time like murder mystery movies. Lots of them. Just watch BBC, that’s about all there is. No lie. However; they were still pleased because even though the movies were intensely graphic, the typical procedural drama still unfolds for the police.

Bava states that he was “bored by the mechanical nature of the whodunit” and went instead with an atmospheric stalk-and-kill people violently method. Bava gave more care to the violence than he did the procedural drama. Bava instead emphasized on the horror and sex that was only insinuated in movies prior.

The movie uses a brilliant introduction of actors. Right then you know that 9 outta 10 of these people are going to die in a gruesome and terrible way. The noire like music jazz and the dark overtones come over the introduction and before the movie even starts you picking out who you’re putting your money on to die.

This movie is beautifully graphic while at the same time pushing an intriguing story-line. You’re not hammered with the gore but when it happens you are definitely on your seat! You will oddly be excited and both terrified at the behind the scene look of this cut-throat fashion industry. Literally.

Just remember, the killer is never who it seems to be! Keep your girl tight in your arms for this one guys! She’s gonna be jumpy tonight!

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